Friday, March 22, 2013

tasty

It was a beautiful, sunny day today, and Terry and I both happened to have the day off, so we decided to walk into town for lunch at one of our usual spots. We weren't sure where to go when we first left the house, but as we walked and the chilly wind started to hit our faces, we decided to go somewhere relatively close: Scarlet Begonias, a favorite choice in any weather. We ordered our lunch, and just as our food was served, Doug (the owner) came over to our table. He said, "Hey, are you interested in having another show here?" I was thrilled. I said, "Well, I would love to, but I'm pretty booked up through the summer with Second Friday Art Walk and a couple of different solo shows. Is is too soon to think about September or October?" He thought for a moment and said, "Actually, that would be perfect. How about October and November?" He had me write my information down just so he had it again, and then it was official...another solo show all lined up, and I didn't even have to go looking for it. Four months ago, I lost my free First Friday space and I was filled with fear and uncertainty...now every month of 2013 is booked. My delicious lunch became that much better before I even had the chance to take a single bite.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

the jury is in

I'm happy to report that I will have paintings in two different juried shows coming right up! The first is the Maine Open Juried Art Show at the public library in Waterville, and the second is "Play" at the Harlow Gallery in Hallowell. I have never participated in either show or had my work on display in either of these towns before, so I really don't know what to expect...but I'm looking forward to finding out. The opening reception for the Maine Open Juried Art Show is Tuesday, March 19th, from 6 pm to 8 pm (show runs through April 19th), and the opening reception for "Play" is Friday, April 5th, from 5 pm to 8 pm (show runs through April 27th). If you're curious about checking either show out, here are some links:   www.watervillemainstreet.org 

http://www.harlowgallery.org

 

Thursday, March 7, 2013

pecha kucha #2

Well, Pecha Kucha was Tuesday night, and I have to say, it was a fun and exciting experience once again! There were eight presenters in all (seven visual artists and one author) speaking in front of the crowded theater at Frontier Cafe in Brunswick. I was up second, which I was relieved about...I didn't have to go first (which seems to me like a tough slot), and I got to get my presentation out of the way so I could relax and enjoy the others.

I did Pecha Kucha once before, back in August 2010, so I knew what I was getting into. Having this previous experience made preparing a bit easier. Of course, I still had to choose twenty pieces to talk about, make sure I had good photos of those pieces, and figure out what I wanted to say about each one, so it's not like it was a walk in the park or anything. Plus, I was still really nervous. Speaking in front of a large group isn't exactly comfortable or easy for me. I prepared the best way I knew how: I wrote (and timed) my entire presentation, and then I practiced, practiced, practiced. Twenty seconds may not seem like a long time, but it can be painfully long if you have nothing to say, or ridiculously short if you have too much to say. Throw in a room full of people staring at you, and you've got the makings of a nightmare on your hands.

Thankfully, my six minutes and forty seconds went smoothly. I managed not to talk too fast or too slow or stumble over my words. No one I spoke to afterwards seemed to realize that I was nervous while I was up there, which is a good thing! I got some wonderful feedback, including several kind compliments from a woman who I'd never met before.  She came to talk to me during the halftime break, and she said the funniest thing: "I thought artists had to be tortured!"